My experience with PGA Tour 2K21 began, as expected, with Career Mode. This mode allows players to create a custom golfer and guide them through their professional journey. The game mode offers a realistic depiction of the path to the PGA tour. However, it lacks the depth and polish found in, for example, the career mode of NBA 2K21. Notably absent are animated sequences that further develop the golfer’s storyline. This is understandable, considering the financial resources behind franchises like NBA and Madden. The market demand for golf games is simply not as high. Nevertheless, despite budgetary constraints relative to its “sports siblings,” the developers have delivered a remarkably compelling game.
Local Play, the game’s single-player mode, presents a wide array of golf courses, including famous real-world locations, fictional courses designed by the developers, and imaginative, user-generated courses. I dedicated a significant amount of time to this mode, particularly enjoying the community-created content. These courses ranged from designs featuring kilometer-long holes with extreme downhill slopes, allowing for single-shot greens, to courses requiring strategic bounces between houses, precarious tee-off points at extreme heights, and even greens situated on boats. These creations provide a unique and entertaining golf experience.
The online experience is also well-implemented. While the matchmaking function can occasionally take some time to find an opponent, online matches themselves perform smoothly, free from significant bugs or lag. Players can also join Online Societies to participate in online tournaments and challenges, earning prizes (though real-time PvP does not appear to be supported). Across all game modes, players can earn credits to purchase new clubs, apparel, and accessories from prominent brands and HB Studios. Importantly, the game avoids the inclusion of microtransactions, a welcome feature in a modern title where such practices are increasingly prevalent.
From a gameplay perspective, the game mechanics are exceptionally refined. The skill-stick function is particularly well-developed. The difficulty is scalable, ranging from highly accessible for novice players to challenging for experienced golf simulation enthusiasts. This allows players to tailor the experience and calibrate the timing meter to their individual skill level. One notable omission is the absence of the punch shot, a technique commonly used to maintain a lower ball trajectory and mitigate the effects of wind.
In summary, PGA Tour 2K21 offers an engaging and enjoyable experience for both newcomers and veterans of golf games. The comprehensive customization options ensure that the difficulty is appropriate for a wide range of skill levels. The overall gameplay is compelling and entertaining. From a presentation standpoint, PGA Tour 2K21 may not lead the market in graphical fidelity or realism. The player models appear somewhat rudimentary, and the audience animations lack fluidity. The commentary can also become repetitive. However, these elements are, in my opinion, minor shortcomings when considering the overall quality of the game itself.
Overall, I found the experience to be highly enjoyable, and I believe that PGA Tour 2K21 stands out as the premier golf simulator currently available.
I am hopeful that a sequel to this title will be developed.
